The present invention relates to a laundry detergent compositions and more particularly, to a process for improving storage stability and scoopability of laundry detergent compositions by incorporation of useful levels of a concentrated chelant agglomerate into a laundry detergent composition.
It has been extremely desirable to have a process for increasing the storage stability and scoopability of detergent compositions. This is a characteristic that most consumers are very desirous of because consumers do not want to have to deal with detergent compositions that xe2x80x9cclumpxe2x80x9d together after the detergent box has been laid open for an extended period of time due to the inadvertent absorption of moisture.
It has been recognized that the incorporation of a transition metal chelant into the base granules of the laundry detergent composition causes the promotion of interlocking crystalline needle growth which is suspected to detrimentally affect the resultant particulate laundry detergent composition""s flowability and scoopability properties. Thus it has been recognized by the inventors of this particular invention that it is extremely advantageous to devise a method of separating the transition metal chelant from the base granule of the laundry detergent composition, so that any useful level of the transition metal chelant may be incorporated in the overall laundry detergent composition without adversely affecting its flowability and scoopability properties. It has thus been extremely desirable to have a process or a method whereby any useful level of a chelant agglomerate can be ad-mixed into a laundry detergent composition such that the chelant agglomerate desirably improves the solubility and storage stability of the resultant ad-mixed detergent composition formulation and at the very least, does not detrimentally affect the laundry detergent composition""s flowability and scoopability characteristics. The present invention overcomes the problems, as set forth above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,646 discloses a process for making detergent builder agglomerates by mixing a detergent builder with a selected binder to form free flowing agglomerates.
International Publication Number WO 97/09415 disloses a non-spray-dried particulate detergent composition prepared by mixing and granulating liquid and solid ingredients in a high-speed mixer/granulator, containing a builder polymer and/or a soil-release polymer, wherein the polymer is incorporated during the mixing and granulating process in the form of a non-aqueous premix with a non-aqueous diluent.
The invention meets the needs above by providing a process for preparation of a chelant composition by a non-spray-drying process, a process for improving one or more of storage stability, flowability and scoopability of a laundry detergent composition, and a chelant agglomerate useful as an ad-mix in a particulate laundry detergent.
In one aspect of the present invention, a process for preparation of a chelant composition by a non-spray-drying process includes the steps of admixing a transition metal chelant and an inorganic compound to form a mixture, agglomerating the mixture in an aqueous medium to form a chelant agglomerate and drying the chelant agglomerate.
In another aspect of the present invention, a process for improving one or more of storage stability, flowability and scoopability of a laundry detergent composition includes the steps of providing a chelant composition prepared by a non-spray-drying process and incorporating the chelant composition into a particulate laundry detergent material in a weight ratio in a range of from about 0.05:99.95 to about 2:98, chelant composition to particulate laundry detergent material. The non-spray-drying process includes the steps of admixing a transition metal chelant and an inorganic compound to form a mixture, agglomerating the mixture in an aqueous medium to form a chelant agglomerate, and drying the chelant agglomerate.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a chelant agglomerate useful as an ad-mix in a particulate laundry detergent is disclosed. The chelant agglomerate has a composition including a transition metal chelant, an inorganic compound and water. The chelant agglomerate is formed by admixing the transition metal chelant and the inorganic compound to form a mixture, agglomerating the mixture in the water to form the chelant agglomerate, and drying the chelant agglomerate.
These and other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.